Meisner, Swan & Rich Live, 1992
Listen to a rare live recording of Meisner, Swan & Rich at Mancini’s Club M in Canoga Park, CA, December 20th, 1992.
Eagles
Hughes Stadium, Sacramento, CA
“Yes On 15” Benefit
May 1st, 1976
The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Jimmy Buffet performed at the Yes On Proposition 15 Benefit at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento. The concert was a fund-raiser for the California Nuclear Safeguards Initiative. Proposition 15 would prohibit the construction of nuclear power plants in California and limit their use. The proposition was defeated during California’s primary election held on June 8th, 1976. The bands performed without pay. Jackson Browne was initially scheduled to appear but cancelled. Jimmy Buffett took his place.
Program
Jane Fonda with Glenn Frey outside the Eagles’ trailer. Fonda spoke at the fundraiser.
The Randy Meisner Band At Universal Amphitheatre, 1978
Listen to a live recording of the Randy Meisner Band at Universal Amphitheater on September 8th, 1978.
Eagles
Carolina Coliseum, Columbia, SC
June 21, 1977
The Eagles played Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, SC on June 21st, 1977. Andrew Gold opened.
“Immobile, shy-looking hassist Randy Meisner steps to the mike for his one lead vocal of the evening, on ‘Take It To The Limit.’ Perhaps it’s his lack of postering, or just some quality in his voice, or just that he feels what he’s singing, but he reaches an evocative plane that no one else has touched this evming.” (Barbara Ballinger, USC Osceola, July 1, 1977)
“A personal favorite they sang was “Take It To The Limit” with Randy Meisner singing the lead with lines such as ‘When there’s nothing to believe in…still you’re coming back for more’ and ‘take it to the limit one more time.” (Linda C. Owens, The State, June 22, 1977)
Randy Meisner “a seemingly shy, introverted type with plain, straight hair who seems out of place among the more flashy, mustachioed members of the band.” Edward Fennell, Charleston News & Courier, June 25, 1977)
Eagles
Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
May 6th, 1973
The Eagles played Wilkes College on May 6th, 1973. Livingston Taylor opened. The concert was free for students.
Eagles
Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
May 9th, 1974
The Eagles played the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh on May 9th, 1974. Jeffrey Comanor and Jesse Colin Young opened.
“Bassist Randy Meisner deserves mention here for the solid bottom lines which helped make these rockers work, as well as for the superb high harmonies he provided throughout.”
Eagles
Pierrefonds Arena
Pierrefonds, Quebec, July 19, 1972
The Eagles opened for Procol Harum.
All photos ©Ted Brennan
Randy Meisner: Soul Survivor
Sixty years ago, members of the Denver group, The Soul Survivors, discovered Randy Meisner while scouting for new bass players at a Battle Of The Bands competition. Here we take a closer look at the band battle and Randy’s first days as a member of the Soul Survivors, including their subsequent move to Los Angeles, where they became The Poor.
One More Song
Uncover all the details behind Randy Meisner’s most critically-acclaimed solo album, ONE MORE SONG, released in 1980.
Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band
The Mike Douglas Show, aired April 1st, 1971
Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band taped an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show at the Greek Theatre on the campus of California Western in San Diego, CA on April 1st, 1971. Other guests on the show were George Carlin, Chuck Berry & Linda Ronstadt.1Â Rick and the Stone Canyon Band played two songs, both written by Rick: “Easy To Be Free” and “Look At Mary.“2Â Don’t miss Rick introducing the band between songs at 4:03. Watch the full episode here.
- Linda performed with her first solo backing band, Swampwater. In 1970, Randy had been suggested as a replacement for Swampwater’s original bassist Eric White, but he was living in Nebraska at the time and was unavailable. White ended up being replaced by Thad Maxwell, who can be seen in Linda’s performance on show. Watch it here. ↩︎
- “Look At Mary†was originally on the Rick Sings Nelson album, which was recorded in 1970 during Randy’s 8-month hiatus from the band. Randy’s replacement, Tim Cetera, appears on the studio recording. ↩︎
Interview with Herman & Emilie Meisner, 1980
An interview with Randy’s parents, featured in the Gering Courier on December 25th, 1980.
Meisner, Swan & Rich
Wise Guys, Pasadena, CA
April 2nd, 1994
Watch footage of the concert below.
Meisner misspelled as “Miesner”
The band was billed under their actual name: Meisner, Rich & Swan. The misnomer Meisner, Swan & Rich was due to an error on a CD insert in 2001, several years after the group had disbanded.
Meisner, Rich & Swan:
Randy Meisner: vocals, bass
Allen Rich (aka Charlie Rich, Jr): vocals, keyboards
Billy Swan: vocals, acoustic guitar
Vern Monnett: electric guitar
Ron Grinel: drums (Grinel had previously performed with the Roberts-Meisner Band, as well as Joe Walsh’s band in the 1970s. Both Randy and Grinel appeared on Walsh’s So What album in 1974)
Concert photos by Stephen Duncan, who also acquired the autographs.
Footage
Watch several songs from the group’s set below.
Pretty Baby
Try & Love Again
You Look Like Someone I Could Love
Lonesome Cowgirl
I Can Help
Take It To The Limit
Midnight Flyer
Footage @Stephen Duncan
Harriet Kaplan of Music Connection reviewed the concert. She described Meisner, Rich & Swan’s performance as “low-key & unpretentious” and noted that the three key members introduced each other’s songs with “obvious admiration.” She also highlighted the group’s vocal harmonies as their most impressive feature.
Randy with fan Stephen Duncan outside the Wise Guys nightclub:
Eagles
Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, Alberta
March 19, 1974
Dan Fogelberg opened.
Photos by Keith McDougall
Randy Meisner
Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA
November 12-14, 1982
Randy opened for the Little River Band.
